Red Red

What happened to the card? asks Kobo.

Did I eat the haggis? asks Lavender?

The dog ate it, says Ageless.

The haggis? Lavender is hopeful.

No the dog ate the card. But it was rescued by Jean, before the words were obliterated.

What did it say? asks Kobo.

Happy Birthday, says Ageless.

That's a bit lame of the Poet, says Kobo. Was there a poem?

Yes, beloved, a beautiful poem. Fish read it out at the table.

He can read? asks Kobo.

O yes wonderfully, says Ageless.

What was it? asks Kobo.

Memory fails me, says Ageless.

What? says Kobo. Was that the poem?

That's a rubbish poem, says Lavender.

Wait, says Ageless. It's coming back. My love is like a red red.... something.

Haggis? asks Lavender. Was it red? YUCK and double YUCK. Did I eat it?

No, only Jean and the children's mummy ate it. The children picked round it. And it was black.

VOMM! says Lavender. What's it made of?

Sheep's pluck, says Kobo. But don't worry, dear, you didn't eat it. What was for pudding?

Ageless had not eaten the pudding.

He is silent, trying to remember.......

I suspect, says Kobo, a chocolate cake with candles.

A good guess, my precious cream puff, says Ageless. And afterwards we retired, I to the green pool, the others to various activities.

The dishes, and the Australian Open, says Kobo. A bath and a bedtime story for the children.

Possibly, says Ageless. I know nothing more. The pool was deep, and slime greenish.

Disgusting, says Lavender. Why did you go there?

I had had enough. Jean was asking too many questions. Why had I changed my appearance? Why had I not made a toast? I plunged in and sank to the bottom.

And you stayed there, says Kobo.

Did he? asks Lavender.

O yes, says Kobo. But no one even noticed. Shortly after Ageless's disappearance there came a knock on the door.

Ooh! says Lavender. And who was it?

Rabbie Burns, says Kobo, the Bard of Ayrshire.

Ageless is miffed.

How had he got there? asks Ageless. His legs were broken.

The same way you did, says Kobo. And, he was taller than you have described.